Alex grinned at me. “Oh don’t worry, we’ll be ready in plenty of time.”
“Good. I should get back to work.” I lifted my camera off of my chest. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but there was definitely something odd about Alex and Eric.
“Alright, sounds good, see ya,” Alex said as I turned away.
The chairs for the guests had been set up in perfect little rows on the grass facing the ocean. The runner hadn’t been laid down yet, and the altar was missing from the gazebo. I snapped a couple pictures of all the chairs from different angles and then turned my sights on the dining area. Several tables had already been set up around the pool but only a few were covered with table cloths, the delicate material swaying in the breeze. They’d turned the pool into the dance floor by placing something that looked like bullet proof glass over the water. When Annabel told me about it weeks ago, I looked at her like she was crazy. She assured me it was perfectly safe and more than sturdy enough. As I eyed the dance floor, a very large man walked right across the pool without falling in. I still wasn’t sure if it was strong enough to hold all of the guests but it was impressive.
Long wires had been tethered above the pool in a crisscross pattern, with the lanterns I saw earlier hanging from them. I took a few pictures of the lanterns swinging in the Pacific breeze and a few more of the lanterns all grouped together on the grass. I looked up the length of the house opposite the pool and saw a balcony that would have a great view of everything happening below.
I stepped through the French doors into the house and went back up the staircase. Instead of turning right as before, I turned left. I knew the balcony I was looking for was on the south side of the house, facing the water. I knocked on the first door on my right side and when no one answered I walked in. This room was somewhat smaller than the bridal bedroom I had been in earlier, but it was still bigger than my bedroom at home. All the shades were shut and hardly any light made it through the cracks. There was something eerie about this room, so big and dark. It smelled musty and stale, like it had been in disuse for some time now and I suddenly had the oddest feeling I was being watched. I looked around the room, searching for a pair of suspicious eyes, when an opulent bed came into my line of sight. It was a large wooden four-poster bed with a dark duvet cover that made me think of those old vampire movies where the woman got seduced and killed. That thought was enough to quickly move me to the balcony doors to open the shades.
The sun burst through the windows and I squinted against the brightness. I looked over my shoulder, half expecting someone to be standing behind me, but of course there wasn’t. The room, however, looked a lot less menacing with the light shining through the windows. I turned to look at the bed again and with the morning glow grazing the wood and duvet cover, it looked more like it belonged to an ancient king. I laughed at myself and shook my head. What had gotten into me lately? I was never this easily spooked. In fact I liked scary movies and things that went bump in the night.
I looked back out the window and it took a second for my vision to adjust to the burning sunlight. I hoped I would find the balcony I’d been searching for on the first shot, so I wouldn’t have to venture into any other rooms, but unfortunately I didn’t. This room had a wonderful view of the ocean, but the top of the patio blocked the view below. Disappointed, I closed the blinds and hurried out of the room, closing the door behind me.
I was going to go into the next room I came across, but I had a feeling the view would still be partially blocked by the patio so I continued a little further down the hall. When I reached the third door on my right I knocked and waited for a response. After a couple of seconds with no answer, I walked in.
This room was completely different from the first. The double doors leading to the balcony were already open and lit up the room. The bed looked like a California king, with white sheets crumpled into a heap in the middle of the bed. At the foot of the bed was a large black suitcase sitting on an oversized wooden chest. Hmm, I thought. Maybe one of the bridesmaids had slept here last night. I felt a little intrusive walking into an occupied room but I figured if anyone came in I could easily explain what I was doing up here.
I stepped onto the balcony and sure enough it was the one I was looking for. I could see the tables set up around the pool/dance floor as well as all of the chairs for the ceremony. The back yard had seemed smaller downstairs with everyone bustling about and setting up, but from up here I could see how enormous the back yard really was.
Ten by ten rows of chairs had been set up on each side of the runner, which the people below were just now placing down. I took a couple quick pictures as they rolled it up to the altar. The two groomsmen still hammered away at the gazebo, but it was at least standing now. I took a few more pictures of them and then lowered my camera. Even though there were a large quantity of chairs on the perfectly manicured lawn, there was still at least another ten feet or so of grass behind the altar.
The grass led to an iron fence overlooking the ocean. I saw a large swing bench on the far right side of the yard and made a mental note of it for later. It could make for some cute pictures of the bride and groom.
All of the candle lanterns had been hung and it looked absolutely beautiful. I idly wondered how they were going to light all the candles in the lanterns that were hanging at least twenty feet off the ground now, but quickly decided it wasn’t my problem.
I turned to walk back into the bedroom while scrolling through the pictures I’d just taken, making sure I got everything I wanted, when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I stopped and looked up to see a dripping wet, half naked man wearing only a towel around his waist.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize anyone was in here,” I said, looking down. “I knocked but no one…” I peeked another glance at him while trying to apologize, when I realized I recognized the half-naked man. “Robert?” I abandoned modesty and looked up, staring at him.
“Violet! What a pleasant surprise,” he said, perfectly calm as he dried his hair with another towel. The sound of my name passing his lips made my stomach do a flip.
“I didn’t mean to barge in on you, I was just trying to get a few pictures.” I blushed. He looked even better than I remembered, although he did have clothes on the last time we’d met. I noticed his eyebrows were raised when I met his face and I thought back to what I just said.
“Oh, no. Not pictures of you. Pictures of the wedding being set up downstairs,” I quickly clarified.
He laughed. “I’m not accusing you of anything.”
“What are you doing up here?” I tried to maintain a casual tone even though the expression on my face was anything but casual. I knew I’d be seeing him at some point today, I just didn’t expect to see him so naked.
“Showering.” He smirked and looking down at the towel around his waist.
“Obviously, but what are you doing here, showering?” No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t keep from looking him up and down. His torso was perfectly sculpted and his bare shoulders were broad. Droplets of water coasted down his long sides, landing on the towel around his waist. I followed one of the droplets all the way down until it disappeared into the towel. Immediately I looked away, embarrassed at where my thoughts had so quickly gone. It felt like I had been watching that drop of water for an immeasurable amount of time when I finally looked back up at his face.
“I’m staying here for the wedding,” Robert said, not looking at me as he threw the smaller towel he had been using to dry his hair into the hamper.